Giants of Africa

We celebrated this year's International Day of the Girl Child with two milestones: launching our Women’s Empowerment Initiative and hosting our first camp in Gabon. In every program we run, we are committed to equality. For camps, that means providing the same clothing, coaching, and court time for boys and girls alike. We're inspired by a future in which young women everywhere not only participate in their communities but also lead them.

Earlier this week, we unveiled our very first court in Ontario in Toronto’s Jane and Finch community. It's an extension of our mission to build 100 courts across Africa and a testament to our commitment to empowering the diverse African diaspora in Canada. "The great equalizer [in diverse cultural communities] has always been the game of basketball. It goes beyond borders, brings communities together and builds opportunity," Abdul Nur, Community Leader. A big thank you to the sponsor of this court, George Brown College and to the City of Toronto for their support of this initiative.

With the launch of our first basketball court in Morocco, Giants of Africa continues its mission to create spaces that inspire and empower. This new court in Marrakesh at Al Izdihar Park will provide opportunities for Morrocan youth to gather, grow, and dream big. Our work in Morocco began in 2019 with a camp in Ifrane, and this court marks a significant step forward. A big thank you to Kensington Tours for their partnership in bringing this project to life. We look forward to seeing how this space will shape the next generation of athletes and leaders. #BuiltWithin

While in Libreville, Masai Ujiri had the honor of visiting with His Excellency General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguéma to discuss opportunities for sports development and infrastructure in Gabon. We can’t wait to return to this beautiful country.

This week, we held our first-ever basketball camp in Gabon, with 64 youths from across the country eager to learn and grow. A special shoutout to Géraldine Robert, former Gabonese international basketball star and GOA coach, for her incredible leadership and help to put this camp together.

Today, on International Day of the Girl, we're introducing the Giants of Africa Women’s Empowerment Initiative, a commitment to ensuring that gender equality is at the heart of every program we implement. Our vision is to build a future where young women not only participate but lead in their communities. By 2030, our goal is to impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of girls across the continent, breaking down barriers and fostering a new generation of empowered female leaders. Learn more on our website: https://bit.ly/4eXJL0i

Our Africa tour starts in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where we unveiled a court at Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo. The location is known to create opportunity through education, and it needed a court design with meaning to match. Drawing inspiration from the pursuit of knowledge, the design features an open book motif reflecting the university’s logo. A big thank you to IAMGOLD Corporation for being a partner for this court.

Giants of Africa is expanding its impact with these new projects: From unveiling a court in Burkina Faso to hosting our first camp in Gabon and building our first court in Morocco, each initiative will create opportunities for the next generation. In honor of the International Day of the Girl later this week, we’re focusing on the young women and girls who are at the center of this work—building spaces where they can lead, grow, and achieve their full potential. Follow along as we continue to empower youth across Africa.

During the UN General Assembly last week, Masai Ujiri, GOA's co-founder, contributed to discussions on the transformative impact of sports development in Africa at two notable events. He first spoke at the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit alongside NBA star Joel Embiid, hosted by Bloomberg and The Earthshot Prize. Later, he was interviewed by Chiney Ogwumike at the Unstoppable Africa event hosted by Global Africa Business Initiative. At both events, Masai discussed the potential of sports to empower youth and drive economic growth. Emphasizing the need for robust infrastructure, he shared insights on how sports can harness and amplify Africa's rich talent pool.

Yesterday marked an exciting milestone as we unveiled the 31st court on our journey to build 100 courts across Africa. The Rubavu community has a history of producing world-class basketball talent, and we hope this new court will inspire the next generation to #DreamBig. A heartfelt thank you to Kensington Tours for sponsoring this incredible space and to the Ministry of Sports l Rwanda and the Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) for bringing this court to life.